The Quarter Blood Princess
by ErmaLeigh
Summary: What happens if Severus gets a small piece of Lilly that will be a part of him for the rest of his life?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: As The Lily Wilts

It seemed as though his feet couldn't move fast enough as he sprinted through the house. He didn't even flinch as he leaped over a corpse lying face down on the living room floor. He had neither time nor sympathy for the dead man in the living room. His mind was focused on the dreadful scene he knew he would find in the farthest bedroom of the house. He could see the door at the end of the hall. The cries of a small child became apparent and increasingly loud as he drew near the door. His hand hesitated above the doorknob for only a split second before he turned it, and with a click the door swung open.

The scene before him left him horrified but not shocked. The room and its contents were exactly as he had imagined them. A blue rug covered most of the hardwood floors. A wicker rocking chair sat empty on the left side of the room in front of a big bay window that at the moment displayed nothing more than a seemingly empty straight and a dark clouded sky that showed no sign that morning was soon to arrive. A dresser stood against the right wall. Three photos were displayed in frames on top of the dresser. In the center photo a man and a woman cradled their newborn son, smiling and cooing down at him, moving the way all magical photos do. To the right of the new family as a photo of four men, one of which who laughed and acted so lively in the picture, but now lay lifeless down the hall. To the left of the husband, wife and newborn was a photo of the same woman, but younger than she appeared with her family. She waved and smiled sweetly.

A name was carved into the top drawer of the dresser. A crib was placed opposite the door. In the crib was a sobbing boy, the same boy who was in the photo, the same boy whose name was carved into the top drawer of the dresser. The child was called Harry, Harry Potter.

Lily's body lay limp in front of her son's crib. Severus' cries matched Harry's as he sank to his knees, pulling Lily into his arms. His tears ran down his face dripping onto her, giving the illusion that she was crying as well. Severus would be devastated by Lily's death for the rest of his life. However, for the moment he needed to regain his composure.

Severus pulled a vile from his pocket. Harry's sobs echoed off of the walls filling the room with a piercing sadness. Severus attempted to ignore the noise and emotion that hung densely in the air, like steam in a sauna, making it difficult to breath. He had to ignore it though; the task at hand required the utmost attention. He took the small glass tube in his hand, his respective arm supporting the lifeless neck and shoulders of Lily Potter. He drew his wand from his cloak and touched the tip to Lily's lower abdomen. Severus blinked back tears and took a deep breath before whispering a small incantation which could not have been heard through young Harry's increasingly hoarse screams, even if someone else were there to hear it. As Severus steadily pulled his wand away from Lily's stomach a small white orb seemed to emerge from her body. Severus guided it gently into the vile, capped it, and placed it and his wand back into his pocket. He pulled Lily close, pressing his lips lightly to her forehead and her cheek. His lips hovered over hers before they brushed ever so slightly.

Tears began to stream from his face again. Severus rose to his feet, Lily still cradled in his arms. He placed her in the wicker chair near the window and brushed back a few strands of her hair that had fallen out of place. "I am so sorry Lily." Severus choked out, fighting back an emotional breakdown.

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door. Severus turned to see a man standing in the doorway. The first rays of morning light streaked through the window and glinted against the frame of his half-moon spectacles. "You said she'd be safe Albus." Severus said accusingly.

"Lily and James put their faith in the wrong person, as did you Severus." Albus studied Severus intently.

"No! He," Severus pointed furiously down the hall towards the living room "put his faith in the wrong person! Black was his friend! And he trusted him!"

"Are you accusing a dead man of being at fault for the murder of his wife and himself?" Albus raised an eyebrow. "Voldemort was the murderer of these two people Severus. Voldemort alone, not you, or me, or James."

Severus turned to face Lily. "I am resigning from my post." There was a moment of silence apart from Harry's cries which had gown muffled and his throat became hoarser.

"I wish you to reconsider Severus." More verbal emptiness. "He will need protection." Albus joined Severus, facing the window.

"The boy? From who? No death eater is going to take on the child who destroyed their master." Severus turned to look at Albus.

"True, that scenario is unlikely, but Voldemort himself will stop at nothing to kill Harry."

"You think he will return then sir?"

"Oh I am sure of it. The only questions are when and where." Severus looked back down at Lily. "Her child needs you Severus."

"Fine." Severus and Albus turned to examine the whimpering Harry. "What is to be done with the boy until he starts school? Obviously his god-father is unfit to trust." Severus sneered.

"Harry will be in the care of his maternal aunt." Severus opened his mouth to argue but Albus cut him off. "He will be safer and better off growing up out of the magical world."

"But with that monster? She hated Lily, and she's going to hate this boy."

"That very well may be true, but a hated boy becoming a loved man makes a rather humble hero." Harry pulled himself up by the bars of his crib to look back at the men watching him. "He will be safe there." Tears continued to trickle down Harry's cheeks.

"We will bury them and then Harry must go." Severus nodded. "Remus will be burying,"

"Lupin will be here?" Severus turned his gaze from Harry to Albus. Ablus did not return the look.

"He is here now, in the parlor with James." Severus looked uncomfortably down the hall. "I think it appropriate that you be the one to lay Lily in the ground. If you choose not to I understand completely."

"I will do it."

Albus nodded. "Very well, all should be prepared soon. I will leave you to your grievances now." Albus went to the crib, picked up young Harry and left the room. Severus watched the door close behind him.

Severus stood still in the middle of the room. Suddenly the aura of death crept upon him. The love of his life was in the room with him, yet she wasn't at the same time. To be in an empty room with someone else is one of the most bizarre sensations and at that moment Severus was experiencing that strange phenomenon. He went to the dressed and picked up Lily's photo. The Lily in the frame smiled at him sympathetically. He thought back to the first time he had seen that smile, and remembered that it wasn't the first time he had met the then Lily Evans.

The first time Severus laid eyes on Lily she was on the verge of tears. Petunia had been harassing Lily for the unusual occurrences in school Petunia was sure her sister was involved in. Just before lunch Lily was telling Petunia how she wished they could play outside. Suddenly the pouring rain stopped and the sun emerged as the clouds dissipated, also lilies had begun to spring up everywhere they went, even though they were far out of season. "That's not normal! You're not normal! I'm telling mum!" Young Severus sat on a swing watching the scene unfold. Petunia ran out of the park towards the nicer side of town where the Evans resided. Lily sat down in the grass. She touched a lily near her and watched its stripes change from pink to violet to indigo to blue. Severus got off his swing and approached Lily, sitting next to her in the grass.

"She's right you know. You're not normal." Lily's big green eyes looked at Severus for the first time, though they were now brimming with tears. "You're special. You're magical."

Lily examined Severus doubtfully. "How do you know?" She questioned.

Severus plucked a blade of grass and held it in his open palm. The blade of grass rose vertically, levitating above his hand before it transformed into a small daisy. "Because I am too." Lily stared at him bewildered. Severus fumbled for words to say to break to silence, anything to hear her speak again. "Those are pretty lilies. I'm Severus. What's your name?"

"I'm," Lily was cut off.

"Lily! Mummy says to come home right now!" Petunia had reappeared at the edge of the park and was shouting.

"I have to go." Lily stood up. "I'm really glad I met you Severus." She turned and ran after Petunia.

Severus' mind traveled from the park back to the room where he now stood. His attention still focused on the picture. He took the frame in his hand and tucked it into his cloak. His eyes now fell on the Potter family photo. He removed the photograph from the frame and held in gingerly in his fingers. With one swift motion Severus tore the picture letting James and Harry fall back onto the dresser tucking Lily away with her other photo. It was the last photo of her alive, he felt he needed it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Lily Returns to the Ground

He had never seen her so still in his life. She lay utterly motionless in her coffin as it floated down the aisles of the graveyard. There were only five living persons present, Albus who stood at the head of the small crowd, Harry who looked so small in the arms of Hagrid, Remus who directed James' casket through the graveyard, and Severus who directed Lily's. The two coffins came to rest on opposite sides of a large hole in the ground. Lily and James' outside hands here lay across their chests, their other hands stretched down the length of their eternal beds, as if reaching for one another.

Severus focused on Lily allowing the voice of Albus to seep into his observation. Severus looked at the lifeless woman in the satin lined box. He remembered how she had looked the last time he had seen her. Albus cleared his throat as he began the ceremony. "We are here to lie to rest the bodies of Lily and James Potter." Albus' voice began to disappear from Severus' consciousness. "Lily and James made the greatest sacrifice that can be made for the greatest principle of life." His voice grew fainter as the last memory of Lily grew clearer in Severus' head. "Lily and James gave their lives for love, the love of their son Harry and of their friends." Severus' mind became fully submerged in the memory.

"I want to thank you Severus." Lil's voice was soft.

"I have done nothing that deserves thanks." He answered plainly. Lily watched Severus, her features appeared dull and aged from exhaustion and anxiety.

"But you have; you are risking yourself for not only my life, but the lives of my family." Lily placed her hand on his arm. Severus wanted to pull away feeling that he did not deserve this saint like woman's touch or gratitude, the warm sensation in his gut would not allow him to retreat from what he most longed for.

"You have risked yourself for me before, and in reaction I showed you spite rather than appreciation." Severus kept his gaze on Lily's fingers wrapped around his wrist.

"I hardly risked what you are risking now Severus and we were so young then." There was silence between them as they both recalled the incident that had driven them apart. After a few moments Lily lifted Severus' chin. Even on the breaking point of exhaustion her eyes gave off so much tenderness. "I was wrong not to forgive you Severus." He felt her give his wrist a gentle squeeze.

"No you weren't. I was cruel to you Lily and there's no excuse." His voice was smooth but cold with an aura of self-hatred.

"You know Severus, if you could look past the mistakes people make you could see them for who they really are and you might find that you like some people you never would have expected to like, including yourself." More Silence. "I am afraid I must ask one more favor of you." This is the part of the conversation Severus had been waiting for, the reason Lily had asked him to her home. "No matter what should hap"

"Nothing is going to"

"Just let me finish!" Lily nearly shouted. She took a deep breath. "I am sorry, but if anything happens to James and I," Severus cringed at the mention of Lily's husband. "I need you to look after Harry. Can you do that?" Severus only nodded. Lily let go of his wrist and held out her hand palm up for him to take. "Will you vow on it?" He took her hand.

"I would never break a promise to you Lily." She grasped his hand, her eyes locked on him, waiting for a direct answer to her question, "I will take the vow." Severus whispered at last. A small sparkle seemed to appear in Lily's worn out eyes.

Lily removed her wand from her frumpled robes and circled it over the entwined hands. "Do you Severus Snape promise to look after and protect Harry James Potter from harm?" Desperation hung on her every word.

"I do." A vine appeared over their hands and squeezed them closer before dissolving into their skin.

Tears built up in Lily's eyes. "Thank you my dear friend."

"Severus." Severus looked up at the half moon spectacles on the face of the man who addressed him. He was standing in the quiet graveyard. Lily's body lay in front of him, in a box, on the ground. "It's time for them to rest." Albus spoke softly. Severus only nodded and raised his wand to match Remus' stance. Without a word both men flicked their wrists and lowered the caskets into the hole. Albus waved his hand and lids covered the coffins. Severus turned away unable to watch Albus magically move the earth back into its place. Remus gestured his wand towards the freshly returned ground and grass grew. Without turning to face the fresh graves Severus muttered under his breath and lilies bloomed in front of Lily's headstone.

Severus did not look back for fear of a total emotional breakdown. He would not let Remus see him vulnerable, but more importantly he would not allow himself to show vulnerability while so near to the body of James Potter, however vacant of consciousness it may have been. Severus took a deep breath cherishing his proximity to Lily's body for a few moments. Then, without saying a word to anyone Severus walked through the cemetery to the street, he could hear the voices of Albus and Hagrid discussing Harry's departure fade as he walked away. He closed his eyes and the voices vanished. He closed his eyes and he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: A Half Blood Prince Original

Without opening his eyes Severus could tell that the light around him lessened. The air hung cool around him. He opened his eyes. The familiar stone walls of the Hogwarts dungeon surrounded him. Small blue flames placed sporadically throughout the room were the only source of light. Severus walked to a large brass cauldron in the front of the room. He removed his wand from his pocket and twirled it above. A thick red liquid began to slowly cover thee inside walls of its container. Severus turned from the cauldron and went through a heavy oak door into his office. He faced the empty wall behind his desk. He waved his wand and two large grey stones parted revealing a small compartment containing a rack of various samples. Severus removed the vial containing the small orb, retrieved from Lily's body and placed it between a vial of flowing white liquid and one of a few harsh looking black stones. He reached back into his robes and set the framed photo of Lily into the secret locker and the torn photo propped against the frame of the other. He gazed longingly at the Lilys in the pictures. Severus turned on his heels deliberately, and waved his wand. The two large rocks moved back into place, concealing the compartment as Severus exited his office.

The thick red fluid was now a few inches short of the rim of the cauldron. Severus twirled his wand again and the liquid ceased rising. Severus conjured a small blue flame beneath the brass cauldron and went to the cupboard on the far side of the room, sifting through its contents. Severus flicked his wans in the direction of a table near the cauldron, with each flick an item zoomed out of the cupboard and landed softly on the table. Among the objects that flew across the room were a rather used leather notebook, a mortar and pestle, a jar of thin gleaming threads labeled "Unicorn Hair", a jar full of transparent wings embellished with labyrinths of blue veins, a rack of vials similar to the one in his office, and a beaker of dried flowers. Severus closed the cupboard and returned to the warming cauldron.

"Engorgio" He whispered pointing his wand at the small fire. The blue flames instantly grew, licking the lower sides of the cauldron. Severus then turned to the items that had arranged themselves neatly on the table. He took up the journal flipping through the pages. Detailed notes and drawings of developing children were scrawled on every page. Summaries and opinions on research on children from Johann Schmidt of the Nazi Party during the muggle WWII, to Beedle the Bard the author of The Tales of Beedle the Bard were in the book. At last Severus turned past all the scribbled thoughts and observations to a page that had clearly been written with much more care. The page read thusly.

The Essence of Us

Created by The Half Blood Prince

Materials:

-Three Unicorn Hairs

-Five Dittany Blossoms

-Two Spoons of Powdered Boomslang Skin

-One Powdered Moonstone

-One Female Reproductive Egg

-Four Crushed Blue Fairy Wings

-One Drop of Male Reproductive Solution

-Essence of the Couple

-Cauldron of Dragon's Blood (Unicorn's Blood?)

Procedure:

-Fill large cauldron ¾ full of Dragon's Blood

-Bring to a soft boil

-Crush Moonstone, Boomslang Skin, and Fairy Wings

-Add three Unicorn Hairs and five Dittany Blossoms to the cauldron

-Stir seven times counter clockwise

-Add the powdered mixture

-Stir seven times clockwise

-Let simmer for four hours

-Bring to a full boil

-Add male and female reproductive ingredients simultaneously

-Stir three times clockwise

-Add essence of the couple

-Keep at a low simmer for nine months

(Make sure to replenish Dragon's Blood every week!)

The dragon's blood reached a soft boil as Severus finished skimming his own writing. He placed the notebook back on the table still open. He took one of the vials from the rack. It was filled with a slimy grey material; he tipped the vial and the Boomslang skin fell against the mortar with a 'SPLAT'. Severus then opened the jar labeled "Blue Fairy Wings" he used his wand to levitate four wings into the mortar knowing they were too delicate to survive human touch. Severus placed the lid back on the jar and began to crush the contents of the mortar with the pestle. Sweat formed on his brow as the mixture was crushed into a fine powder. Severus wiped the sweat away with the sleeve of his robe aware and cautious of the consequence if any of the steps were compromised. Severus opened the jar of iridescent unicorn hair and dropped three into the bubbling dragon's blood. From the beaker Severus added five Dittany Blossoms, and with and invisible force controlled by his wand Severus stirred the counterclockwise. He dusted any remaining powder on the pestle into the mortar before setting it on the table. He spilled the content of the mortar into the cauldron then dusted it as he had the pestle and sit it on the table as well. He used the magical force from his wand to stir the cauldron in the opposite direction as before. "Reducto." The flame shrank as the bubbles grew smaller and less frequent in the cauldron.

"This will work Lily, it has to." Severus spoke quietly. He sank into a chair near the cauldron. His consciousness became slurred as he drifted to sleep.

The light around him seemed to grow as the air seemed to warm. A shrill voice rang in his ear and echoed through his head, "This park is for normal kids, not little freaks like you!" He opened his eyes. Petunia was standing a few feet in front of him with her hands on her hips, Lily stood near to his right.

"We're not freaks!" Lily shouted. Her voice sounded strong but Severus could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"What are you then, weird, strange, looneys?" Petunia demanded. A few tears fell down Lily's face. Severus felt the rage engulf him as it had so many years ago.

"Shut up Petunia!" Severus advanced towards her. "You're just jealous because Lily is smart, talented, sweet, beautiful, and special and you're not!" Lily's tear streaked cheeks turned a rosy pink. Petunia looked at first but quickly changed her expression into a sneer.

"Did you know this little creep was in love with you Lily?" Now it was Severus felt his face warm with color. Lily took a step forward to place herself beside Severus. "Can't you find any freaks less poor and greasy than this little creep?" Lily glanced at Severus who was fighting back the tears that were forming on hos lower lid. She took his hand comfortingly.

"His name is Severus! And he is not greasy or a freak or a creep! He is kind and he is my friend!" Lily shouted confidently at her sister. "Let's go Severus." She turned and walked away still holding Severus' hand.

"You tow wierdos are perfect for each other!" Petunia screamed after them. Severus and Lily pretended as though they had not heard her.

Lily led Severus down a dirt path to a small pond. The pair sat under an enormous oak tree near the water's edge. Lily could see that Severus was still resisting the urge to cry. "Don't listen to her Severus. You're right," Severus starred at the clasped hands on the ground between them. "she's just jealous of us." Severus looked up confused.

"I didn't say us. I just said she is jealous of you." Lily met his gaze.

"But she is jealous of us. She likes you Severus." He cringed shaking his head. "It's true" Lily giggled.

"The only thing I want to have in common with that repulsive muggle is you." Severus blushed again.

"Really?" Lily asked. Severus resumed studying their entwined hands nodding. "Promise we will still be friends at school? Promise we will still be together?"

Lily studied Severus' face intently. He looked into her eyes. "Always."

"Always" he whispered opening his eyes.

It was nearing four hours since he began the potion. He stood and walked back into his office. With a swish of his wand the two rocks parted revealing the rack of vials and the photos he had stored a few hours ago. He removed the rack and took a long look at the photos before he closed the hole in the wall and strode back into the potions classroom. Severus set the rack onto the table then faced the simmering cauldron. "Engorgio!" The dragon's blood bubbled violently. Severus took both the vials containing the small orb and the swirling white liquid and studied them carefully before tipping the contents of the vials into the cauldron.

Next the tube of black stones was one that held three short redish brown hairs. With the invisible force of his wand he stirred the blood three times clockwise before adding the hairs. "Reducto!"

There was little to do now but prepare and wait. That is exactly what Severus intended to do.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: The Un-chosen One

For the next few months, life seemed to fly by. Between all the preparations, the potion, checking up on Harry, and of course classes Severus barely had time to mourn over Lily. At the moment his quarters in the Hogwarts dungeon were not suitable for the extreme lifestyle change the potion would bring, but he was working on that. Severus had moved the cauldron into his office, every week he replenished the absorbed dragon's blood. His classes were the same as every year but captured even less of his interest and attention in this year than in past years.

Every week Severus disapparated to Little Whinging where he silently watched over little Harry. Every week he saw the small child being neglected. He sat for hours and watched the Dursleys. He felt anger grow in his stomach, anger at this family for mistreating Harry. This was the offspring of Lily, part of her lived in him and they abused him. Harry was Petunia's only sister's only child, her own kin, and none of that seemed to matter. Severus was also angry with himself because Harry was also the son of James. The blood of Severus' greatest nemesis was the same blood that ran through this child's veins. Why should he care if Harry was not treated as well as the other boy in the house? He shouldn't care for the child of his adversary, his lifelong tormentor. But he had vowed to the love of his life to protect the boy that was half her. The conflict raged in the forefront of his mind until he could no longer stand its hold on his attention and he disapparated back to Hogwarts.

Once back at Hogwarts Severus attempted to put the thought out if his head by checking up on the mysterious potion in his office or by assigning extra homework to grumbling first years. But it was of little use, he still thought of Harry frequently.

How could Lily do such a repulsive act? How could she marry and bear a child to the bane of Severus' existence, James Potter? How could she love him? He was not even close to worthy of her. Yet she had chosen him, fallen for him even. Severus had seen her eyeing James long before she would ever admit to it.

Since their first year when Lily first saw James, Severus could tell she fancied him. James was handsome, strong, confident, smart, and James was an ass. He went around the school showing off his advanced transfiguration and dark arts skills, demonstrating his power on physically weaker Slytherins, such as Severus. Lily stood up for Severus and other Slytherins whenever she caught James tormenting them, but Severus could see that she was attracted to him.

Severus had an interest in the dark arts, but he lacked the natural knack that James possessed. Severus' knack was in the subject of potions, but that did nothing to protect him against James. However, his potions skills were not totally useless in his plans to capture Lily's romantic attention. Severus used various potions to improve his already charming masculinity. The brews had the desired effect on many young women, but did not seem to faze Lily.

While Severus kept his feeling for Lily to himself, only giving subtle hints of his affection, James was not so conservative with his attraction to Lily Evans. James often tortured Severus knowing very well that Lily would catch him, he awaited it, enjoyed it even. He would always take up the opportunity to flirt with her. He could tell she secretly wanted him to because every time he gave her a line a pink color rose into her cheeks.

One afternoon James caught Severus waiting for Lily on the seventh floor. "Rodencia!" James shouted his wand aimed at Severus, who instantly shrunk into a black rat. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, entered the room for the hallway where they had been hidden. James looked at the rat and spoke, "Hey Severus you do something different with your hair?" All four boys dropped to the floor rolling in a fit of laughter. Severus skittered frantically around the corridor attempting to avoid being crushed by the rolling bodies.

"And what on earth is so funny?" Lily had emerged from a portrait of an old woman carrying a small child. The rat sprinted towards her and looked up at her with its dark green eyes. Lily bent down and took the rat in her hands feeling its heartbeat surging through its entire body in terror.

The boys stifled their laughs and sat up to look at her. James shrugged smirking, "Transfiguration homework." He answered nonchalantly his eyes glinted with mischievousness.

"Is this Severus?" Lily demanded looking into the small emerald eyes that reflected her own. Remus, Sirius, and Peter chuckled.

"It might be." James answered. The other boys broke out in hysteric laughter again. Lily set Severus on the ground.

"Specialis revero!" The rat transformed into an upset Severus. James got to his feet and patted Severus' back.

"There you are buddy; we've been lookin' all over for ya'." The other boys stood laughing.

"Don't touch me, Potter!" Severus stomped out of James' reach. "Thanks Lily." He said standing beside her.

"Take it easy mate; I just needed some help with my transfiguration." James smiled slyly while his friends snickered.

"Take it easy?" Lily hissed. "Take it easy?" Her volume increased significantly. "James Potter you are a pathetic human being, an ass of a wizard, and a sad excuse for a Gryffendor!" She shouted at James. His friend laughed under their breaths. "That goes for the three of you as well!" She took a deep breath. "Come on Severus." She took Severus' hand and passed the group, heading for the library.

"Hey Lily!" James called after her. "When you ditch the rat why don't you come find the Gryffendor seeker?" Severus could see Lily blush heavily. She squeezed Severus' hand and stormed off to the library, Severus trailing behind her.

"The nerve of some people," Lily began to rant. "he thinks just because he's a first year seeker, a genius, handsome, and on of McGonagall's favorites that he can do as he pleases." She fumed.

"You think he's handsome?" Severus asked quietly studying Lily's face.

Lily released Severus' hand and evaded her eyes from his hurt expression. "What? No, of cour-, I mean, that's ridiculous!" Lily stammered, but there was no fooling Severus. He knew she was lying from the tremble in her voice, the way she looked away in shame, the way she turned pink when James spouted off his vulgar mouth, and from the way her body tensed when he came into a room. James wanted to get his vile hands on Lily and as much as Severus hated to admit it, as much as he detested the slightest thought of James with Lily, he knew that Lily wanted James to.

Severus continued to make his visits to Number 4 Privet Drive of Little Whinging, but as the weeks went on, he spent less time watching over Harry. It was difficult to see Harry's eyes from various hiding spots outside the Dursley's house. He could only see Harry's matted mess of black hair was left alone in his high chair, or watch as Harry's strong square jawline was dragged across the floor be the other boy of the house. Severus had to struggle to catch glimpses of Lily in Harry but it seemed as though the fact that Harry belonged to James stared him straight in the face, taunting him. Harry was a brutal reminder of Lily's love for James. Severus wished he could look at the boy and see his own features surrounding Lily's beautiful green eyes, but instead he saw a drop of Lily surrounded by a sea of James.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Wise Words from a Weasley

Severus watched his students in class, they were all so young, but they had been even younger at a time. What if Harry had been his child? Would Severus have been able to support the child with the gentle softness that children require? He always had a hard time exercising patience, but if it was necessary for his own offspring, could he do it?

It was an afternoon like any other. He would be having a double potions session with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years soon. The students would be making sleeping draughts, it was a simple brew but he was sure at least two students would mutilate the concoction beyond repair. After a few moments of reflecting on his own thoughts in his office Severus heard a door open and a few students shuffle into the classroom just on the other side of his office wall. "Hey Bill did you finish the homework for today?" a young boy with a thick French accent asked. Severus recognized the voice as a Gryffindor named Philip LaBare.

"Of course, there are enough uses of Wolfsbane to cover ten pages of parchment, much less three." Bill Weasley answered. "Didn't you?"

"Well sort of… I had to stretch my handwriting on the last page and even then I got just over two and a half parchments." Philip spoke in a hushed voice.

"Honestly Philip, why don't you just ask me if you need help?" A girl suggested, her accent matched that of Philip. She was Angelique LaBare, Philip's twin.

More students began to full up the classroom. Severus sat in his office listening to the conversations on the other side of his door, many of which were focused on homework or previous class assignments. At exactly 12:30 Severus walked through the heavy oak door and into the classroom, immediately a hush went over the students. "Pass your parchment to the front." Severus examined the faces looking at him, he notices one towards the back of the room looking down and writing furiously. "That means now Mr. Steele! Two points from Hufflepuff. Next time do your work before class." The boy looked at Severus his face flushed as he passed his assignment forward with everyone else. A rustle of paper enveloped the room. Soon the rustle stopped, a round boy with curly dark hair and freckles stood and placed the stack of parchment on Severus' desk.

"Sleeping draughts, page two hundred and thirty seven." The rustle of paper began again as students drew their books from their bags and searched for the page. "Three to a cauldron. Begin." Severus sat at his desk in the front of the room.

In the front corner of the room worked two Gryffindors and the freckled Hufflepuff with dark curly hair who had put the parchment on Severus' desk. They were seven steps into the potion when the male Gryffindor began shouting, "Honestly Abott? We get halfway through the damn thing and you have to mess it up!" The attention of the entire room including Severus turned to the group.

"Calm down Stephen, it was just an accident." The Gryffindor girl protested.

"I don't care! He ruined it! Bloody hell Abott, do you always have to be such a clutz?" Severus felt anger and shame as he watched the scene unfolding, recognizing himself in the screaming boy.

"Really Brown, Can't you do anything right?" Severus hissed through gritted teeth. Lily shot him a furious glare across the table.

"Don't listen to him Edgar. He's just a prick about potions." Lily assured the boy who had just added one too many Bezoars to a common antidote. The blonde Gryffindor sulked away from the cauldron with his potions book to look for ingredients to offset his mistake. Once the boy's back was turned Lily whispered to Severus fiercely. "Was that honestly necessary?"

"But," Severus spoke softly eyeing the cauldron.

"Well can't you fix it?" she hissed.

"Of course I can!" He answered defensively, sitting straighter on his stool. He looked from Lily's angry expression to the Gryffindor searching sadly through a cabinet. He sighed and threw some nearby blue powder into the cauldron. It let out a puff of white smoke and began to simmer gently. "Just go with it." Severus whispered hopping off of his stool.

"Hey Brown!" Severus called to Edgar. The boy turned to look at his partners. "It looks like the brew just needed some time to settle in." Edgar's face brightened as he returned to the group.

"Really, I didn't bodge it?" He looked to Lily for assurance.

"No Edgar, you did nothing wrong." She beamed at him, then at Severus.

"Sorry, I was wrong." Severus spoke softly.

Severus now realized he was standing near the troublesome group, although the bickering had ceased because now, all eyes were on him. "Mr. Lewis, what seems to be the problem?" Severus glared at the boy, the female Gryffindor had referred to as Stephen.

"Abott added too much Flobberworm mucus Sir." Stephen grunted.

"So why didn't you just add a few dried Billywig Stings instead of blaming Mr. Abott and making an embarrassment of yourself?" Severus' glare did not leave the guilty face of Stephen.

"I-I didn't think of that Sir."

"Of course not. Perhaps you should think next time, before you create a spectacle in my class." Stephen Lewis sat dumbstruck. "Five points from Gryffindor for your brutish outburst." Severus turned to the rest of the class who pretended to be occupied with their own potions. "Evaluations will be posted on the door next session. Class dismissed." Everyone began to gather their things. "Mr. Abott, Ms. Clark," Stephen's partners faced Severus nervously. "excellent work today. Three points each." The two looked at each other puzzled as they to gathered their things and left.

Severus sat at his desk. A young Bill Weasley approached him. "Pardon me Sir." Severus looked up at the red haired boy.

"Can I help you Mr. Weasley?"

"No Sir." Severus raised an eyebrow. "I just wanted to thank you for today's genuinely brilliant lesson." Severus fought back a smile.

"You are welcome Mr. Weasley. Enjoy your afternoon." Bill smiled brightly.

"You as well Professor." And with a wave Bill took his bag and exited the room.

Severus sat at his desk smiling to himself. Maybe the Weasleys the most prominent or successful wizarding name, but no one could deny that Molly and Aurthor did the best for their children. Bill was a genuine and smart child with a promising future. Severus thought that Bill was a good judge when it came to such subjects as life lessons and moral advise, so the compliment meant even more coming from Bill.


End file.
